Solid pitching helps Bison rally past Badlands
Jul. 16—LARAMIE — The Gem City Bison didn't let a rocky start faze them Friday night at Cowboy Field, as they bounced back from an early three-run hole to beat the Badlands Big Sticks 7-4.
Pitching played a pivotal part in the win, as Gem City allowed just one hit after the first inning. The Bison outscored Badlands 6-1 after the opening frame.
"Falling in a 3-0 hole is tough, but it's a long game," Gem City shortstop Quinn McCafferty said. "We have hitters who are capable of getting on base and driving in runs, so we were pretty confident we could scrap our way back in. We were able to hold them, and the guys on the mound did a great job. It was a good all-around win."
Badlands jumped out to an early lead, plating three runs on four hits in the top of the first. The Big Sticks opened the game with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners, and Derrick Calvillo drove in Sean Dee on a fielder's choice during the third at-bat of the night. The other two runs came courtesy of Gem City miscues, with Calvillo and Carson Lundmark scoring on a wild pitch and an error, respectively.
The Bison had a promising start to the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with no outs on walks by Derek Wood and Niko Pezonella and a single by McCafferty. Just one run would cross the plate, though, with Wood scoring on a Luke Banister double play and Tyler Godfrey striking out to end the inning.
Gem City added another run in the next frame following a 1-2-3 top of the second by starting pitcher Parker Kanupp, with Keegan Sueltz sending a leadoff single to center before scoring on a groundout by Calvin Webb later in the inning. A runner was stranded at third, however, as Big Sticks pitcher Sam Marhefke recorded back-to-back outs after Sueltz crossed the plate.
Kanupp delivered another hitless inning on the mound in the third, striking out three batters to bring his total to six. Gem City's bats continued to stay hot, as well. McCafferty and Pezonella singled to start the inning, with each advancing a base on a wild pitch, and Banister brought McCafferty in for the tying run on a sacrifice groundout. However, a runner was stranded at third for the third consecutive frame.
Cameron Bagshaw took over on the mound for Kanupp — who finished with six strikeouts and three earned runs on four hits, all of which occurred in the first inning — in the fourth with the game knotted at three. Ethan Babcock-Barrie led off with a walk and scored on his own, advancing to third then scoring on wild pitches to put Badlands up 4-3. Bagshaw responded well to the early adversity, though, retiring three straight hitters — two on strikeouts — to get out of the inning.
"It's awesome," McCafferty said of the team's pitching performance. "The past few games we've been struggling to get runs in. Whenever our staff can go in and shut them down like that is huge for us, and we definitely piggy-backed off them for much of the game tonight."
Badlands flirted with pulling Marhefke in the bottom of the fifth, but ultimately left him out on the mound. The decision backfired, as Gem City plated three runs to pull ahead 6-4 — their first lead of the game.
Wood opened the inning with a triple over the right fielder for the first extra-base hit of the game, and scored moments later on a wild pitch. McCafferty then drew a four-pitch walk, and crossed home on a Pezonella double. Sueltz drove in Pezonella on a two-out single up the middle.
Bagshaw exited the game in the seventh with five strikeouts, one hit and one earned run in three innings. Ty Vollmar took over for the Bison and didn't miss a beat, sitting down Badlands' hitters in order for another 1-2-3 inning. Alex Urlaub drew a two-out walk in the eighth, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, Pezonella caught him stealing second to preserve the 6-4 lead.
The Bison added to their advantage in the bottom half of the inning, as Godfrey was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Justice Panton brought him home with an RBI double. Vollmar closed out a nine-out save to secure the win, allowing no hits with two outs and a strikeout in three innings on the mound.
"I pounded the zone, let my defense work for me, and it worked out," Vollmar said. "(The three-run inning) was really nice. It helped with everyone's morale, too."
The second game of the home series is set to get underway at 6 p.m. today.
Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.
